Description
Easy homemade apricot oatmeal crumble bars featuring a buttery oatmeal crust, sweet-tangy apricot preserve filling, and crumbly oat topping. Perfect for dessert, snacking, or breakfast treats
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup apricot preserves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray your baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. If you’re anything like me and have forgotten this step before (oops!), set a timer on your phone while you gather ingredients!
- Make your oat mixture. In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, baking soda, oats, and flour. I like to use a pastry cutter, but two knives or even clean hands work just as well! Keep mixing until it resembles coarse crumbs. When it starts to clump slightly when you squeeze it in your palm, you’ve got it right!
- Press the crust. Measure out 2 cups of this magical oat mixture and gently press it into the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Use the back of a measuring cup to really pack it down evenly – this creates that perfect sturdy base!
- Add the preserves. Carefully spread the apricot preserves over the crust, stopping about 1/4 inch from the edge. This little border helps prevent the preserves from burning along the sides – a little trick my grandma taught me!
- Top it off. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the preserves. Don’t press it down – those loose crumbles create the most DIVINE texture once baked!
- Bake to golden perfection. Pop that beauty into your preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are slightly darker. Your kitchen is about to smell AMAZING!
- Cool completely. I know it’s torture, but patience pays off here! Let the bars cool completely before cutting them. This helps them set up properly and makes for cleaner slices.
- Slice and enjoy! Cut into squares or bars and prepare for everyone to ask for the recipe!
Notes
- The texture of your crumble is key – it should be moist enough to hold together when pressed, but still crumbly. If it seems too dry, add a tablespoon more butter. Too wet? A tablespoon more flour will do the trick!
- These bars will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days, but I find they’re best within the first 48 hours (though they rarely last that long in my house!).
- If you’re using a metal pan, check the bars about 5 minutes earlier, as metal conducts heat more efficiently than glass or ceramic.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (2x2 inches)
- Calories: Approximately 165 per bar
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg